Being the newly back in service Princess of the Night is hard. Luna was having a really stressful time trying to learn the new ways. Lots of things had changed in the last one thousand years, and she was still not used to some of them. Luckily for her subjects’ ears, she had learnt how to talk in a decent volume, although the use of ancient expressions was proving to be something she wouldn’t change anytime soon.
“We don’t get this, dear sister.”
Celestia raised her royal head from the soft silk pillow it was resting on. “Luna… it’s… very late, I have to raise the sun tomorrow… What do you want?”
Although it was true that before Luna got back from her imprisonment, and back to her good-natured former self, Celestia had to raise and set both sun and moon. She was getting used to the well deserved rest.
But, as most nights, she was awake in the middle of the night by her sister, in order to answer a certain question about something they didn’t get.
“It is just that… back in the days we were attacked by…” Luna started but looked down in shame.
The sun princess got up from her bed and moved closer to her sister. “I understand, sister, you don’t need to say anything. I know you… weren’t yourself in that moment. Y-you don’t need to name it if you don’t want to… continue.”
Luna looked back at her sister and nuzzled her with affection. “Thank thee, dearest sister. What we were trying to say is that back then, ponies didn’t enjoy the night. They were all sleeping and resting, it was a time of tranquillity, and silence. Yet nowadays it seems that our subjects use the night to have fun!” she exclaimed.
Celestia eyed the dark azure mare quizzically. “Fun?”
“As thou know, we are able to sense what is happening under our moonlight. And we can definitely see parties, and little fillies talking together in the same house. We can also observe couples performing a rather strange activity that seems quite enjoyable judging by the look on their faces a-”
“Look away next time you see something like that Luna… i-it’s rather private.”
“Private? But we have seen them invite others sometimes, and sometimes there is picture evidence captured in paper that others re-”
“Just don’t look okay!? Don’t look at the ones who read them neither! I’ll explain it to you some other day…”Celestia said rushed. Even though Luna was a full grown mare, she never got to experience certain things, and the white princess was not in the mood for explaining the birds and the bees to her sister right now. “Nor the birds and the birds, bees and bees… or birds and the whole beehive…
“Sister, art thou feeling fine? Thy cheeks are red, do thou need Us to lower the temperature of the room?”
As the blush deepened in Celestia’s face, her eyes went wide open. “No, no! It’s quite alright sister. Is that everything? Can I go back to sleep? I was having a nice dream…”
“We know… And yes, we believe that was ever-” she abruptly stopped and looked behind her alarmed.
“What is it?”
Suddenly, Celestia was left alone in her room, with a black smoke and a couple of bats where her sister used to be.
“Always the one for dramatic entrances and disappearances…”
“Says Miss ‘I have a Golden Chariot carried by Royal Pegasi Guards and I’ll use it even if I can just fly or teleport anywhere’.” A voice was heard behind Celestia, in the bed next to hers.
“Twilight? My most faithful student would have never said anything like that to her Princess and Teacher… Is the crown already getting to your head?”
The reply came as a groan followed by an “I’m sorry Princess… I appreciate the fact that you let me stay on the castle for some days, and I’m honoured that you allowed me to stay in the Royal Princesses shared room… but you and Luna talk too much at night… and I get grumpy when I’m awaken abruptly… ask Spike if you don’t believe me…”
A giggle escaped the ruler’s mouth and she smiled at Equestria’s new princess. “I’m sorry, and I’m sure Luna is, too. She just needs some time to get used to the new ways of life of Equestria.”
“Any clue where she went right n-”
A black shadow from under Celestia’s bed started growing and forming a mare-like shape in the middle of the room. With an eerie sound, and a whirlwind of dark smoke, the shadow transformed into Princess Luna.
“…You have a point, her entrances are dramatic, but I’m sorry to say it… they’re better than yours…” the purple alicorn said.
With a slightly hurt ego, Celestia looked at her sister and asked, “So… where was the bat mare?”
“We were helping another child with their nightmares. That is another thing We do not get. Why do young colts go to see horror-inducing films, telling their friends they enjoy it, if they have nightmares at night… Art they enjoyable nowadays?”
“Nah, they’re just acting tough to impress somepony, probably,” Twilight replied, laying her head back in the pillow.
Celestia nodded but was intrigued by her sister’s quick response. “How were you able to do that? Notice that somepony was having nightmares? We never could during our years of night-guarding…”
“We designed a spell years ago. It allows us to notice when a pony has certain symptoms that usually mean a nightmare: faster heartbeat, tossing and rolling, talking in their sleep…”
“Impressive! Very clever indeed…”
The dark mare’s ears perked up. “There it is again! Heartbeats, tossing and… screaming! And this time is one of our friends.”
Once again, the Princess of the Night disappeared leaving a trail of smoke and bats.
Twilight woke up groaning, “Not the bats again! They’re so noisy!” and with a flash of purple magic, the flying creatures disappeared.
“Where did you send them?”
“Tartarus… where they belong,” Twilight hissed, slumping down on the mattress once again. “Good night, Princess.”
Celestia looked scared at her usually chirpy and loving student. She’d give Spike a big nice ruby next time she sees him. “He’s one tough and enduring dragon.”
She then focused on the place her sister was a minute ago and tried to sense where did the teleportation spell lead. “Ponyville…”
“Where are we?” The Moon Goddess asked to herself, taking a look at her surroundings. “Everything seems so… dull and vague… whatever is happening in this dream is probably very detailed and focused, if the rest is so sketchy…”
The mare walked forward down a road full of apple trees. “Well… saying these green blobs with red spots art apple trees is a rather generous overstatement…”
Slowly, the trees and road next to her started to get more detailed. “Ah… now we’re getting closer to the source!” She started trotting towards a big barn, which seemingly was where the dreamer was.
Upon arriving she could hear groans and screams from the inside.
“Rainbow! S-stop it, Ah… Ah…”
“ Oh no! She must be having a nightmare about her fellow elements! Maybe the classic zombies? Turned into vampires? We should help her nevertheless!” Hastily barging through the door, the princess exclaimed, “Worry no more dearest Applejack! We are he-…” she stopped half sentence to take in the scene in front of her.
Applejack was most certainly dreaming of a fellow element, but it was just one alone. And it didn’t look menacing at all. She quickly looked away as she recognized the scene.
“Ah! Princess Luna what are y’all doin’ here!?” Applejack scaredy exclaimed while covering herself and looked at her friend, who was just frozen in the same position, with a blank expression. “R-Rainbow Dash, cover yerself!”
As the words escaped her mouth, the cyan pegasus did so.
“We art most sorry, Applejack. Sister told us we shouldn’t look at these activities, that they were private. W-we didn’t know! We thought it was a nightmare, thou presented all the symptoms…”
“Nightmare? Wait, is this..?” she exclaimed as she tried to touch Rainbow Dash, but found her hoof going right through her. “Ah’m dreamin’?”
“Yes. We were trying to look over thine safety for you to have a pleasant sleep.”
Blushing lightly the farmer pony replied “Well, Ah was sure havin’ a pleasant time…”
“We art sorry, again. Is it permitted for us to look up again?” the princess asked.
“O-of course, yer Highness.”
As the starry maned mare looked back at the orange filly and her friend she started walking towards them. “We can see now why thy dream was sketchy and unfinished… thy whole mind worked on this faux Rainbow Dash.” She got closer and inspected the dream creation. “It is remarkable! Down to the tiniest coat hair… Thou must look at your friend a lot! Almost perfect.”
As she tried to move the hoof Rainbow Dash used for covering, Applejack exclaimed. “A-Ah think y’all inspected enough! T-thank y’all fer the compliment on the… realistic version of Rainbow Dash… Ah guess?”
“Thou art quite welcome. Now… we have recently learned that we shouldn’t look at ponies when they art performing this activity… So we must ask for forgiveness. We would do anything to repay thee.”
Slowly, the blush left Applejack’s cheeks as she eased and felt sorry for the princess. “I-it’s okay, Luna, no harsh feelins, y’all don’t need to do anything fer me… Though Ah gotta ask… how did y’all get here? To mah dream, Ah mean. Is that ‘cause of yer alicorn magic abilities?”
“Nay. The dream realm is a place we have created, and we control it, but we also leave a designated area for everypony to create and change. We simply teleported to thine to arrive faster.”
“So everypony could enter mah dreams!?”
“Technically speaking… yes. Every time thou go to sleep, thy conscience is transported here, but as any place, thou can walk it, thus travel to another pony’s area. If thou are capable of being conscious during thy sleep, and can learn where another certain pony’s area is, thou could get there.”
“Is that so… Say princess… Y’all said y’all wanted to apologize fer watchin’ me… do that stuff. Right?”
“Yes, thee have decided something We can help thee with?”
“Yeah… Is there any way y’all could give me a compass or sumthin’ that tells where RD’s dreams are?”
Luna looked at her subject quizzically, but magically cast a dark blue compass with a white star in the middle. One of the points of said star was longer, and started pointing in a certain direction. “Here it is. This shall guide thee there. Why did thou ask for such a thing? Are thou interested in your fellow elements’ dreams? Would thou like a compass to point at thy other friends too?”
“Y-y’all could say Ah’m interested n’ her dreams… b-but just hers, Ah’m okay with this one, thanks, Luna! Ah swear not to tell anypony y’all were spyin’ me while Ah was…”
“We appreciate it, Dearest Applejack!” the mare exclaimed hugging the orange cowpony tightly. “We shall go now. Have a pleasant night.”
“Sure thing Princess, good night to y’all too! Send Twi n’ Princess Celestia mah regards. B-but please don’t tell ’em Ah was… uhm… dreaming about, y’all know.”
“We shall do that. Worry not. Thy secret is safe.” And suddenly, the Princess of the Night was gone in a flash.
“So…” the orange mare grinned to herself. “Ah can get in her dreams, huh?”
It was another nice morning in Ponyville for Rainbow Dash. And as every other morning in Ponyville for Rainbow Dash… it was the middle of the afternoon. The cyan pony rolled and fell on the cloud floor next to her bed. It became a habit once she realized the floor was as soft as the bed, many years ago. “Wakes you up, and doesn’t hurt at all! You’re a genius, Dash.”
She got up and walked towards the bathroom. It was always good to have a nice rain cloud inside the house for a nice, short, cold shower. A gentle kick, and the reduced downpour started chilling her to the bone and getting her soaking wet. “Brrr! It doesn’t matter how many times I do this… I never get used to it! But it’s one hay of a wake up method. Now I’m ready to show Ponyville the share of daily awesomeness it deserves!”
Rainbow Dash looked at the window and jumped through it. Letting herself freefall for a while to let all the droplets of water leave her, she approached the ground. Having done this countless times, she had the timing down to the millisecond, opening her wings in the right time, at the right angle, creating the right curve to gently touch the grass with her hooves and get back up in the blue sky.
“Awww Yeah!” A loud holler left her throat as she took in the feel of Celestia’s sunlight in her coat, warming her very soul and lifting her mood.
A loud rumble coming from her stomach reminded her that sunlight didn’t feed her. So she closed her wings to win momentum and fly down towards Sugarcube Corner. Slowly landing in front of the building, she walked the few steps to the door and entered.
As usual, Pinkie Pie appeared next to her smiling and chirping a “Gooood After-morning Dash! I hope you had a good night-ning sleep! What are you having today? The usual?”
“You got that right, Pinkie!”
“One Rainbow Soda with a rainbow-sprinkled donut coming right away!” the bubbly mare exclaimed before rushing to the kitchen.
“Howdy, Rainbow!” Rainbow heard somepony say, so she turned around to find Applejack sitting in one of Sugarcube Corner’s tables.
“Oh hey, AJ! What you doing here?”
“Jes’ havin’ a muffin before goin’ back to work… Apple trees won’t buck themselves, will they?”
“Guess they won’t! Neither do clouds, but I gotta have breakfast first.” She said winking.
“Breakfast? After lunchtime?”
“Hey, we don’t need a special morning weather schedule until past next month when Carrot Top’s crops need some rain and sunlight in the morning. So, I’m sleeping ‘til late and come here every time I wake up, which is around this time,” Rainbow Dash replied with a huff. “Got a problem with that?”
“Hey, Ah’m jes’ asking! Don’t get mad at me, RD,” Applejack replied smiling. “Everyday the same place, same time fer a couple months? Gotta remember that.” “C’mere y’all lazy pegasus, why don’t y’all sit down with me n’ we share this… breakfast together?”
The colourful maned pegasus smirked and sat down in front of her friend. “Just ‘cause you need your daily share of Rainbow Dash, for it to be a good day.”
“Darn right Ah need a piece of y’all everyday,” Applejack retorted grinning. “ N’ soon Ah’ll get a piece of y’all at night… Once Ah figure how the whole thing works…” “So… any interestin’ dreams last night, Sugarcube?”
Rainbow Dash scratched her head for a couple of seconds before answering, “Nah… not really. Well… I never remember my dreams, you know? I only have a vague glimpse of them, and I usually tend to do something related to what I can remember… I like to think it’s like a message my brain is sending me or something.”
As soon as she finished saying that, Pinkie Pie came with a tray, holding a sprinkled donut, and a can of Rainbow Soda imported from Cloudsdale especially to Pinkie Pie, before she went back to the kitchen to have a glass of soda herself.
After that one time for the Best Young Flyer competition, she asked Dash if there were any rainbow-flavored drinks. The pegasus told her they used to sell a soda that she loved when she was a kid, but was not sure if it was still on the market. Luckily for both Pinkie and the Cakes, it was. And now they delivered a few boxes to Sugarcube Corner.
It was quite strange and exotic, so it soon became a very commonly ordered drink in Ponyville, which was great for business.
“Ah see…” Applejack said, making a mental note of that. “So… did y’all dream tell y’all what to do today?”
“Well… it was about me being with the Wonderbolts! So I’ll go practice my tricks, after taking care of the clouds up there, which I’ll do in Ten. Seconds. Flat!” she replied winking and taking the last bite of the donut. “Well… I’ll pay Pinks and get those clouds down… See ya later, Apples!”
“Don’t worry, RD, this one is on me, y’all jes get those clouds down n’ practice those nice tricks y’all do!”
The rose-eyed pony looked at her and quickly said “You sure? Well gee, thanks, AJ!”
“Don’t mind it, Sugarcube… how ‘bout a game of Horseshoes tomorrow to repay? We got a deal?” she winked and extended a hoof.
Rainbow smirked and bumped her friend’s hoof with one of her own. “You got yourself a deal to get your flank kicked, and for a session of dust-biting, Jackie!”
Applejack spent the rest of the day trying to come up with a way to test how the dream realm works, and how the whole going into others’ dreams thing was. And how to notice if it had any interesting results.
“What do Ah wanna accomplish with gettin’ in her dreams anyways? Seein’ her at night? Ah could do a perfect re-creation of her in mah dreams, accordin’ to the princess…” she pondered before sighing. “But it ain’t her. Ah want her. The real deal, n’ not in mah wet dreams… Ah want her beside me every mornin’, watch her peaceful face when Ah wake up, look at the sunset together cuddling in the park, kiss her goodnight when Ah’m ‘bout to sleep…” yet another sigh escaped her mouth.
“Why can’t Ah jes’ simply ask’er out? Why come up with strange plans like this? She’s a straightforward gal, n’ Ah’m sure she’d like a straightforward proposal! AH’M a straightforward farmpony mahself, n’ Ah know Ah’d like to be jes’ asked out!” Applejack stomped her hoof on the ground but then groaned, irritated. “Gotta be honest with mahself… that ain’t happening. Ah won’t take the risk unless Ah’m at least half sure she’d accept to at least a date…”
It was unfair, that’s what she kept telling herself. It was not right that she had to have all these dreams about her since that one night in Applejack’s barn…
“Oh, Applejack, I can’t tell you how much I love you right now! I swear I could totally kiss you right now. A whole barrel of cider, just for the two of us!?” The cyan pegasus has finally stopped her barrage of ‘Ohmygoshes’ and decided to hug her best friend.
“Ain’t nothing, Sugarcube… don’t go all sappy on me,” the farmer pony chuckled and patted her friend’s back.
Quickly, Rainbow Dash kissed Applejack’s cheek and backed away looking away. “You have never, I repeat, never seen or felt me do that. Have you now?”
Applejack laughed at her friend’s attitude. “It’s okay to show affection once in a while, Sugarcube, we’re friends! A hug, a hoofbump, a playful punch, or even a small peck on the cheek can be delivered once in a while…”
“Thanks, AJ.” Rainbow Dash smiled.
“It’s nuthin’, we had an extra barrel anyways…”
“No… not that. I mean that I can be a mushy and cheesy friend with you, but it’s okay, ‘cause you don’t think less of me…”
“Y’all will always be the same brash, brave n’ quite foolish pegasus in mah eyes, RD,” Applejack said, earning a playful glare from the rose-eyed pony.
“Enough mushiness! Let’s start chugging apple cider!” Dash said before diving her head in the cider and drinking like a dehydrated pony that found an oasis in the desert.
“Luckily fer both of us, it’s non-alcoholic…” Applejack said before mimicking her friend.
After a few hours of cider drinking and meaningless talking, sleep’s grasp got a hold on both mares.
With a yawn and a slow blink, Rainbow Dash asked, “So, AJ… its okay if I just crash here for the night, right?”
“Sure is… truth be told, Ah’m exhausted too, n’ Ah’m not even willin’ to go back to mah room. Guess we’ll be takin’ the hay tonight huh?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Both mares stood up and started walking towards a large pile of hay that seemed quite comfortable and laid down.
“G’night Apples.”
“Sweet dreams, Sugarcube,” Applejack said before closing her eyes and decided to let herself be taken by dreamland. That is, until she heard a certain pegasus groaning. “Y’all okay there, partner?”
“Yeah it’s just that… you don’t happen to have a blanket around, do you? I’m kinda cold…”
“Applejack opened her eyes and looked at her friend worriedly. “Ah’m sorry, we don’t keep one in this barn… but Ah got an idea. Jes’…” She stood up and got closer to her friend, laying right next to her, and hugging her tightly.
“H-hey, what are you-”
“Relax, Ah’m jes tryin’ to keep y’all warm. Basic survival tip, if y’all are in a cold place, n’ with nuthin’ to cover, if y’all are with somepony else, get real close n’ share body warmth. So unless y’all liked the chilliness better…”
“No, it’s okay, it’s just kinda weird… We were talking about mushiness and all… but this is a whole new level.”
“Shut yer pie hole n’ go to sleep, sugar.”
That night, so many months ago now… was the first night of many, that she dreamt of Rainbow Dash. At first she was uneasy with them, she didn’t manage to understand what they mean. But it didn’t take long to realize what was going on.
“When y’all start dreamin’ ‘bout a pony every single night… y’all know y’all have a thing fer her…” And that’s when the idea struck her. “That’s it! Ah know what Ah can do with RD’s dreams! She said she took ’em as messages… What if Ah try to get her to dream ‘bout me? ‘bout us goin’ on a date… or kissin’… that way, she’d surely accept mah date proposal right away!”
With a smile so wide it would have made Pinkie Pie worry, the apple-bucker pony trotted back to her house smiling to herself and humming.
The rest of the day was uneventful for Rainbow Dash. After kicking some clouds, she started practicing her tricks. Loop-de-loops, cloud spins and barrel rolls were nice and everything… but not Wonderbolt material. She needed to work on her most impressive tricks, like the Final Atomic Rainbuster, or the Cross Tornado Rainbow, even if both left her dizzy after so many twists and turns. She’d die before somepony heard her say it, but she knew the Sonic Rainboom was getting old, after doing it so many times. It wouldn’t impress the judges anymore.
“Gah! Why is coming up with new ideas for a trick so hard?” “I need something everypony can relate to. When performing a show, even if it’s a flying one, you can’t aim for just pegasi, you have to think about unicorns and earth ponies… Also, if you want it to be a real masterpiece, then it can’t be mechanic, or studied, it has to come from the inside, you gotta feel it!” The cyan pony sighed and lowered to the ground.
She had been floating over a hill for an hour and a half now, trying to come up with something new and creative, but idea after another was shot down for being unoriginal or not awesome enough, and she was starting to get really frustrated and tired.
“It’s no use, I won’t get any ideas sitting here, nor somewhere else, seems like today is not my ‘awesome ideas’ day… And the sun is setting, might as well grab something to eat in town, and go to sleep.”
Applejack was sitting on her bed in Sweet Apple Acres. She had already prepared dinner for her family and excused herself. She was too busy thinking to eat anything.
“Can’t go outta the blue n’ start flirtin’ or kissin’er. What if she finds out? Or if she doesn’t remember it tomorrow? Ah should first try with sumthin’ simple, simple n’ that Ah can check, see if it worked or not…”
The blonde mare took off her ribbons and her hat, placing them on the night stand.
“But first Ah gotta sleep, if Ah wanna go to Dashie’s dream.”
Sighing and hopping onto the bed, the apple bucker drifted to sleep, not even caring to get under the blankets.
“Jacksie! Wake up!” a voice she knew all to well said… but there was something strange about it…
“Huh?”
“C’mon, silly girl!” the voice was heard again. “The janitor is coming! If he catches us like this, there’ll be hell to pay! Here, I’ll give you a hand.”
Applejack accepted the helping light cyan hand and got up on her two feet. Out of instinct, she tried to check if her skirt was on place, finding she was wearing none.
“Forget the clothes, we don’t have time to put them on right now! Follow me.”
Applejack finally looked in front of her, looking at her girlfriend, Rainbow Dash, naked from the waist up. They probably sneaked into the school’s gymnasium and had some fun under the bleachers. Suddenly, she felt her being dragged by her lover’s hand.
“C’mon hurry up! We gotta make it to an empty classroom! I just hope no one sees us on the hallway. The Principal will kill us if so! Two of the last year students found naked and skipping classes? Celestia will have our heads on a plate…”
“Naked? Classes? Principal? Sumthin’s wrong here…”
“Man, you passed out. It was so awesome! A new record for Dash Magic Fingers.”
Suddenly, it all became clear. “Wait… fingers? Ah’m not this. Ah’m a pony! N’ Ah already finished scho- Gosh darn it, it’s a dream!”
As soon as those words left her mouth, everything around her became a white room. As soon as her original form returned, and her hooves touched the ground she facehoofed. “C’mon! Ah went to sleep with the sole purpose of knowin’ Ah’d be dreamin’, in order to get to Dash’s, n’ Ah forget it…”
Grumbling a few swears, Applejack decided to go and look for Rainbow’s dreams.
“Ah need that thing the Princess gave me… how do Ah get it back now?”
“Eh… Ah wish fer the compass!”
“…Well that didn’t accomplish anythin’…”
“Uh… Huzzah!... nuthin’? How ‘bout… We beseech thy compass? Pretty please?”
“Eenope… Wait… it’s mah dream. Ah can do what Ah want!” With a second facehoof, she extended her hoof and thought about the compass hard enough to make it appear.
“So that’s how things work ‘round here, no wish, no magic word… jes’ thinkin? Okay, let’s get goin’!”
The orange cowpony walked, consulting the compass from time to time. She walked down a lonely road, a white road between dreams. To her left she could see a jungle, while the infinity of space was to her right, Canterlot was in a dream far away, and she could spot Ponyville’s kindergarten somewhere between the jungle trees. From where she stood, it all looked like a film set, ready to roll a movie scene.
“Must be real fun for the Princess to go ‘round lookin’ at all these…” a blush covered her face as she realized “N’ that includes mine too... how embarrassing…”
After some minutes of walking, Applejack noticed a blank space between dreams. “Why is this blank? Is this nopony’s space? Well… the compass points this way, maybe Dash’s is on the other side…”
As she reached the middle of the square, the compass turned around and pointed backwards. “Wha? Is this thing broken?” Shaking it a bit, she decided to follow it anyways, and walked back, just to get the compass to point back to the original place. “What’s wrong with thi…Oh… this MUST be Dash’s dream, but why is it blank?” once again, her right hoof met her face as she yelled to herself “Ah’m so silly! She said she was stayin’ up late these days, she’s still awake… Now what do Ah do?”
The mare sat and looked around. Finding nothing to do, she decided to think of a ball, so at least she could play with something until RD came back, but to her surprise, nothing appeared. “Does this mean that Ah can’t change RD’s dreams? Well that’s a bummer… Unless…”
Applejack ran back to her space and started planning. “Ah gotta think of everythin’ right here, n’ then take it back to Dash’s dream… Now what should Ah do? Something silly, something unimportant, something Ah can check tomorrow… will Ah see her tomorrow? Oh yeah, she’ll be at Sugarcube Corner n’ then go n’ play sum horseshoes! She’ll order the usual, a donut n’ a soda. That’s it! What if Ah made this dream to be ‘bout sumthin’ else?”
Thinking hard, Applejack summoned a just-out-of-the-oven apple muffins, and a big mug of apple juice, and turned around to go back to Dash’s dream. “Wait, wait… there’s no harm on givin’ subtle hints…” In a few seconds, Applejack had a shinier, cleaner coat, her mane was flowing in a constant breeze that came out of nowhere, and a golden aura surrounded her along with a subtle, chorus of angels that followed her around. “Now this should do the trick… let’s get this goin’!” Right before walking back to her friend’s dream Applejack stopped and thought, “Wait… what if Ah do one last change? It might kick this up a notch… Ah sure am glad dreams are freaky n’ we don’t notice sumthin’ is wrong till we wake up.” A pair of colourful butterfly wings appeared on Applejack’s back “Eww no, Rarity wings no, no… Ah need ones like Rainbow’s… Gosh darn it mind! Not blue! Ah’d look real weird with those blue wings…Okay, orange, that’s better.”
“That’s an academy record!”
How many times had Dash heard that already? She couldn’t remember. What was so exciting about them anyways? If everything she did was a new record, that meant that the prior ones weren’t that good at all. “Not cool. I’m tired of this… I’ll ask for a break and take a flight around…” “Ma’am since I’ve finished my task, can I have a break?”
“Okay, but make it a quick one, your wingpony will need your help in the next exercise.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rainbow Dash got out of the Wonderbolts Academy’s building fast as a lightning bolt, eager to take a deep breath of fresh air and just fly around with no technique or destination. And a friendly face is always welcomed in times like these. “Hello, Applejack! What are you doing up here? Flying… over the Wonderbolts academy?”
“Ah jes’ came up here to bring y’all sum apple muffins n’ apple juice, how ‘bout we have a lil’ picnic?”
“Sure, follow me.”
Rainbow led her winged friend towards the top of the academy and sat down. “It’s not exactly the top of a nice hill while the sun sets in the background… but at least here nopony will see us and scold me for skipping practice…”
“It’s okay by me, Sugarcube, as long as Ah’m with y’all.”
Those words elicited a blush to appear in both ponies’ cheeks.
“Hey, Applejack, your mane looks really nice when it’s loose…”
“Is that so…” Applejack seemed to be thinking about something for a second, before continuing “Well… why don’t y’all remind me to let mah mane loose whenever we see each other again? Jes’ tell me that y’all like it that way…”
“Sure! I’ll try to remember that.” As the cyan mare took a bite of the muffin her eyes rolled back and her taste buds went to heaven. “Oh gal! These are good muffins!”
“Thank y’all, Ah made’em mahself. Here, have a drink.”
Apparently, Applejack was able to steal the drink of the goddesses, because Rainbow Dash was sure that was exactly what she was drinking right now. “How… where did you get this!?”
“It’s jes’ Sweet Apple Acres apple juice, nuthin’ y’all can’t get back at Ponyville… why don’t y’all ask fer’em at Sugarcube Corner? Ah’m sure y’all find’em…”
“I seriously need to have these more often…”
“Okay, Rainbow Dash… Ah think it’s time fer me to go. Got stuff to do… see y’all soon, okay? N’ remember, y’all like it when mah mane is loose, n’ apple muffins with apple juice taste good.”
“Sure, AJ, see you soon.”
“RAINBOW DASH, WHERE ARE YOU!” Spitfire roared.
“Is there no free time here?”
“Alright! That seemed to go real smooth! Ah hope Dash remembers it though…” Applejack got up from the bed and started brushing her mane. “Jes’ in case she does… Ah gotta try to have mah mane as nice as possible… N’ Ah have to make muffins! N’ have an excuse fer it… Think Applejack… think!”
A smile covered her face as she grabbed the pair of red manebands.
“Time to gather the girls to have a nice chat…”
Sunlight. Sunlight is mean. Sunlight burns Rainbow Dash’s eyes; therefore it must not exist, at least not for five more minutes. “Ugh… I guess I gotta wake up…”
As every single day, she repeated the same old routine. “If it ain’t broke…”
Fall of the bed, take a cold shower, pummel to the seemingly certain death, be awesome, arrive at Sugarcube Corner and open the…
“Howdy, Sugarcube! Come on in.”
“Applejack? What are you doing here?”
“The gals are all here, we’re havin’ an afternoon get-together.”
The rainbow maned pony felt her heart stop for a second. “And you didn’t invite me?”
The orange apple bucker chuckled and hugged her best friend. “Y’all said y’all came here every day ‘round this time. Ah was countin’ on that… Ah’d never forget ‘bout you, Sugarcube.”
“Hey!” a voice was heard a few feet away from them. “Don’t hold Rainbow for yourself, Applejack, we haven’t seen her in a while either.”
“Twilight! You’re here! How are you?”
“I’m fine, Rainbow, why don’t you come here and sit down with all of us!”
Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy and Rarity. “Hey, girls, how are you two?”
“Quite fine, darling, we just came back from our weekly spa meeting.”
“Oh, Rainbow Da-ash!” a bubbly hyperactive pink pony said, suddenly appearing next to the pegasus. “What are you having? The usual?”
“Not today Pinks…” Applejack eyed her curiously. “By any chance… do you have any apple muffins?”
A spark ignited in Pinkie’s eyes as she exclaimed “Oh my gosh! This is like, so freaky! I can’t believe my Pinkie Sense didn’t catch it. As a matter of fact, I do have apple muffins! Applejack had to try a new recipe and she asked for my help, so we just baked a batch! Oooh, and she also brought this amazing apple juice you just HAVE to taste!”
“Awesome! I had a strange craving for these today…” She looked back at the table where her friends were chatting among them “So… how come you all decided to get together today?”
“It was, Applejack, darling, the one who asked us to come over around this time.”
“She said we had to taste her new recipe of apple muffins,” Fluttershy added.
Applejack chuckled and said, “Aww shucks, y’all know that’s a silly excuse, Ah jes’ wanted to be with y’all. Ah missed y’all. Livin’ in the farm n’ everythin’, Ah don’t see y’all around that often. Even if its fer jes’ a ‘Hello’!”
“D’aww!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed “This calls for a group hug!”
Soon enough everypony was being strangled to their deaths by the vice-like hooves of the party animal.
“Air. Pinks. We need it!”
“Oops, sorry, Dashie! I’ll go bring you the muffin and the juice, it should be all ready by now!”
“Say Rainbow… y’all still up for this afternoon?”
“This afternoon? ...Oh yeah! Sure am, anxiously waiting for it.” She said grinning “I’m so gonna mop the floor with you at horseshoes Apples”
“Perfect! Ah’ll be waitin’ fer y’all…”
Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack for a couple of seconds. Something was off… it was common, but she wanted it to be different… “Applejack…”
“Yes Sugarcube?”
“Why don’t you take off those manebands? I like it when your mane is loose…” “What the… did I seriously said that aloud?”
Applejack blushed as she took off her manebands. “L-like this?” she slowly and carefully shook her head to make her mane float around and land gracefully over her shoulders.
Luckily for Rainbow Dash, she had the wall behind her which prevented her wings from springing wide open “What’s this!? Oh my gosh I hope nopony notices! I never had one of these in front of Applejack, what’s wrong with me?”
The rest of the ponies were looking at both Applejack and Rainbow Dash with a surprised look in their faces. Rarity cleared her throat and inquired. “I am sorry to pry, my darlings, but is there something we are missing here?”
“And what exactly did that mean?” “Huh? What are you talking about Rarity?”
After looking into Rainbow Dash’s eyes for a while, the pristine white mare looked away smiling. “It’s nothing darling, I guess I was mistaken. Forget I said anything.”
“Well…you do look prettier with your mane loose!” Pinkie said smiling sharing a knowing look with Rarity. “Don’t you all agree?”
A chorus of yeahs was heard by the rest of the girls.
“Don’t worry dear, we got you covered.” Rarity whispered and smiled.
“I have no idea how to answer to that… I don’t even know what’s going on.” “Thanks, I guess?”
“It’s workin’! Oh it’s workin’! Ah get her to choose what Ah wanted, n’ even made’er say she likes when mah mane is loose! N’ Ah even think Ah saw her wings tremble. Ah ain’t no pegasus, but Ah know what that means. Is mah plan workin’ better than expected?" It was hard to suppress her happiness, but she couldn’t just smile wickedly out of the blue, she needed something to cover the real reason.
“So… how do y’all like our new recipe Dash?” Applejack said, grabbing Pinkie by the side, and smiling at Dash.
“Ah wonder if grabbin’ Pinks will make her jealous. If it does, then Ah made a major step last night!”
As Rainbow’s confuse expression changed into one of a mild frown, Applejack’s smile grew wider.
“I haven’t even tasted yet… But I guess if you baked them, and you used Sweet Apple Acres’ apples, then they must be awesome.”
“Hey, I also he-” Rarity glared at Pinkie Pie silencing her. “I mean… Applejack is a fantastic cook, isn’t she?” Pinkie said, returning the hug and getting cheek to cheek.
“Wait… she complimented mah mane, she’s huggin’ me tighter than usual… Ah didn’t get the undesired effect on Pinks, did Ah?”
Across the table Rarity grabbed Rainbow’s side getting closer and smiling widely.
“N-no! W-what’s goin’ on?”
“Compliment her cooking, tell her which is your favourite dish she ever made” Rarity whispered to Rainbow’s ears, maintaining the smile.
Rainbow looked at her and whispered back “Why shou-Ow!”
“Keep your smile, darling! I said nothing to you… get it?”
“What’s going on? Why is everypony expecting me to say nice things to AJ? Is she mad at me for something? Is Applejack kinda down, so we’re all trying to cheer her up or what? I… I kinda want to make her happy, as long as I possibly can. That’s what a friend would do, right?” “Sh-she is! I specially love her apple pies… but let me taste these muffins and then we’ll see.”
This... this was something she had tasted before. She knew she had, but she couldn’t remember. And Applejack said it was a new recipe. But those thoughts didn’t stayed on her mind for long, because soon she was lifted higher than her wings could ever lift her before. She was in a place of pure flavory pleasure.
“Oh. My. Gosh Girls! You seriously need to taste these.” The brash pegasus moaned. “What… what’s the secret? What did you add?”
Soon everypony had taken a muffin and proceeded to taste it.
“Oooh Applejack please, you have to tell us! She didn’t even want to tell me! I had to turn around while she poured the ingredient. And I baked with her!” Pinkie Pie pouted.
“Oh, it’s nuthin’ special, but it’d ruin it all if Ah tell…” “It is not sumthin’ that special, so tellin’em will probably ruin the hype fer the muffins…
“Well then. I’ll have to guess! Was it cinnamon? Powdered sugar? Cider? Or may-”
“Ah’ll tell y’all later! Please, let’s not waste our time together with a guessin’ game…” Applejack said nervously, remember the events in Dodge Junction.
“Anyways, well get goin’ in a couple of minutes with Dash, so why don’t y’all girls tell us how yer weeks went? Ah sense we’ll have more than enough time with Dash to catch up.”
Rarity, along with Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Equestria new Princess were waving at their two friends, walking down the lane towards Sweet Apple Acres.
As soon as they were out of sight, Rarity turned around and smiles wickedly. “Please do tell me Pinkie and I were not the only ponies to notice the way Rainbow Dash acted today!”
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy inquired.
“Oh come on, the way she wanted Applejack to let her mane loose, the way her eyes sparkled whenever she saw her, how she was blindly convinced anything made by her would be delightful…”
“Rarity, we’ve talked about this before… We know you like to make pairings in your mind, and we’ve put up with it before, but you promised not to do it with our group of friends!”
“Oh, but Twilie, I also saw it this time! She even glared at me when I got close to Applejack!”
“Pinkie, I don’t mean to be uhm well… mean, but you sometimes tend to exaggerate… a lot.”
“Oh but it’s not the case this time. And I swear her wings went sproing when Applejack took off her mane bands!”
Fluttershy blushed at the comment and looked away uttering a “Oh… My.”
Twilight sighed and looked seriously at her friends “You two are really sure about this? It’s something big and important, not just some strangers you saw across the street, these are our two best friends…”
“Quite sure.”
“Yeah, I’m sure!”
“Okay then…”she looked around and asked “Now, should we help them out, or stay away?”
“B-but… we don’t know if Applejack wants to be with Rainbow…”
“Oh Puh-lease dear Fluttershy! They’re a perfect match, why wouldn’t she?”
Fluttershy blushed and looked down “W-what if she doesn’t like mares…”
The white unicorn felt a bucket of ice cold water hit her. “Oh… I guess you may be right darling, I did not think about that particular detail…”
“Besides, we don’t actually know what Applejack likes, how could we help Rainbow?” Twilight asked.
“Well… I believe I can help her with some… ‘totally-not-dating tips’… And regarding the Applejack subject, I would suggest gathering information, but the acres are too muddy for me to go…”
“Ooh! Ooh! Choose me, I’ll go. Sounds like fun!” Pinkie said jumping in place.
“Uhm girls? I’d like to say that if we do end up doing this… we should be subtle. Don’t tell Rainbow we know about her… she’s very proud, but also scaredy, so if she knows we discovered her secret… she’ll deny everything related to it, and she might even get away from Applejack, if she’s not ready to tell us…”
“So…” Pinkie Pie checked her surroundings “This is an undercover mission huh? I’ll go get my costumes.”
“No Pinkie Pie! No weird costumes, and no spying. You’ll go and just ask her, casually. Oh, and try not to be obvious. Try to spend some time with her tomorrow… ask about her love life, about things she like… try to sound interested.”
“I gotta act like I’m interested in Applejack?”
“Interested in her love life, but as a friend darling, not a lover. That might be counterproductive…” She tapped her chin with her hoof for a couple of seconds and continued. “Though I would advise to compliment them, both when we are alone, and whenever we are all together. It would boost their self-esteem in private, and it would make each other notice things about the other when we are together…”
“Okie Dokie lokie! I’ll stop by the acres tomorrow before my shift starts… I have to work on an excuse though… Well, see you tomorrow girls!”
“Oh, may you wait a little more please? I have a plan…”
“You’re going down AJ!”
“We’ll see ‘bout that Sugarcube. Y’all are still down, n’ this is the last throw. A ringer or y’all lose!”
“Just watch me turn this match around AJ!”
“Ah know this might count as cheatin’… but Ah ain’t doin’ it to win the match… Ah’m tryin’ to see if Ah’m getting’ closer to mah goal…” The orange mare walked forward, next to the sandbox, swaying her hips enticingly. Her ears were expectant, waiting to see if it was working.
“Hey AJ, you won’t be able to see when I bea-”
A loud pomf was heard and a smirk appeared on Applejack’s face “Everythin’ is goin’ according to the plan!”
“NO, NO, NO! Go down you two! What the hay is wrong with me today!? W-was Applejack always this pretty?” She gulped as her eyes focused on the hardworking mare’s well toned applebucking legs and… “W-why can’t I look away from her round, nice and big…”
“What’s wrong Rainbow? Ready to fly away from defeat?”
“W-what?”
“Jes’ sayin’, since yer wings look ready to go n’ all…”
A deep crimson blush covered Rainbow Dash’s face. “No! It’s just… I’m preparing to fly and do an amazing victory pose when I beat you!” “Nice one!”
The cyan mare prepared the horseshoe and tried to aim. Soon enough her eyes drifted to the right. Applejack was casually looking away, while she played with her loose mane with one hoof.
“She looks so cute right now…” Rainbow Dash shook her head violently “F-focus Rainbow Dash!” Not risking to get more distracted, she blindly threw the horseshoe, which ended up a few feet away from the stake. “Sh-”
“C’mon Sugarcube, it ain’t that bad, y’all can’t win all the time… don’t be a sore loser.”
“It’s just not fair you know? I only lost because I was distracted.”
“Oh, Ah’m sure y’all beat the horseshoes champion of the past ten years… someday.”
“Y-you are always lucky! That’s all. A-and today was special, I was really distracted!”
“Distracted with what?”
“J-just… just forget it. I’ll go home. See you around.” She said blushing and flying away.
Applejack just grinned and head back to her home. “Everythin’ is goin’ jes’ as expected… Ah’ll prepare a meal for ‘Bloom, Mac n’ Granny n’ then hit the hay...”
“Okay something’s going on. This ain’t normal! I’ve never acted like this near AJ… I was acting like… like I…” she was staring up at the cloud ceiling of her home. “Ugh! It must be over thinking it… it’ll all be back to normal tomorrow.”
Closing her eyes, the cyan pegasus drifted to sleep.
Applejack was playing with a ball between her hooves when suddenly the space around her started changing. “Oh, she’s sleepin’ this early? Well, Ah was ready anyways.” The orange mare threw the ball away from the dreamland and waited. “Ah hope everythin’ goes according to mah plan. Ah’ll have to rely on Dash, since Ah can’t change anythin’ here… Ah’ll have to trick her into dreaming what Ah want her to…”
The green eyed farm mare approached her still materializing friend from behind, and waited until the process of entering the dreamworld was complete. It was strange to see how a white blank space slowly transformed and created objects and ponies around her.
“Okay let’s check were are we… Ponyville! Great.”Applejack opened her hooves and hugged her friend from behind.
“H-huh!? Who’s that?”
A soft giggle was heard. “It’s me Dash, don’t y’all worry. Can’t Ah hug y’all from time to time? Ah think it’s nice…”
“It… it is.” The cyan mare shook her head and corrected. “I mean it’s not like I was scared, I… was caught off guard. What are you doing here anyways?”
“Well… Ah wanted to go to the movies… but hey, we’re two, so Ah don’t get to decide all by mahself. Wanna do something else?”
“Movies? Together? Were we in a get together or something? I… I can’t even remember how I got here, so I guess we are…” “I umm… sure Apples, let’s go do whatever makes you happy.”
“Great!” The orange mare smiled “Lead the way Dash.”
“Okay.”
“Yeehaw! Jes’ as planned, Ah can’t modify her dreamland, but if Ah make’er lead, she’ll imagine the theatre fer me. It’s a perfect plan! As they got close to the place where the Ponyville Theatre usually was, Applejack realized something important.
“There won’t be a movie if she ain’t thinkin’ of one. N’ since Ah convinced her to come here, she may not have one… This should be a movie she would go to…” “Dash, wanna see the Daring Do movie?”
“There’s a Daring Do movie!? Aww yeah! Sure, let’s go faster then, what if they’re sold out!?”
Chuckling at her friend’s excitement the blond mare ran after Rainbow Dash.
“Popcorn, an awesome friend by my side, a Daring Do movie… Yeah, this was a textbook awesome way to spend the afternoon!.”
“Ah’m glad y’all liked it Sugarcube, it sure was lovely to spend some alone time with y’all. No other ponies, jes’ the two of us…”
“Huh, yeah, it was nice. What do you wanna do next?”
“Well…” Applejack looked away and said “Ah was thinkin’… seeing as the sun is about to set an all… wanna go to the park n’ watch the sunset?”
“Umm… sure, I guess.” “I don’t see anything special on it, it always looks the same… but if AJ likes to, why not?”
“Lead the way then!”
“Sure, we are not that far anyways, just a couple of blocks. So, what’s so special about the sunset?”
“Well Ah dunno. Ah guess Ah like how nice it is, n’ it reminds me of mahself.”
The pegasus looked at her friend quizzically. “Of yourself? Why?”
“Ah dunno… Ah guess ‘cause it’s orange like mah coat, n’ the sun reminds me of mah golden mane. And the clouds remind me of mah freckles!”
“Hmm… when you think it that way… Yeah, I guess it does look like you. It’s nice… and warm, and really pretty!”
“Pretty? Oh mah! It’s workin’! Ah’m so hap-”
Suddenly it was all dark, a few rays of light came from somewhere.
“Sis’?” a voice was heard, it was faint, like it was really far away.
“Hey AJ, you listening?” Again at the park, with Rainbow Dash.
“A-Ah’m sorry Rainbow, Ah was distracted for a second. What were y’all saying?”
“I was telling you that-”
“Big sis, wake up!” The darkness again.
“Big sis wake up already. Yer friend Pinkie Pie is here. She’s waiting downstairs.”
“T-thank y’all Applebloom… Ah’ll be down in a minute.” “DARN! It was goin’ so perfectly! Ah’d kiss her when we got to the park, n’ we were so close! Shoot Ah’ll have to delay mah plans one more day…”
The mare got up from the bed and walked down the stairs. “What the hay is Pinkie doin’ here this early anyways? Is she okay?”
Soon, she heard a high pitched voice “…and that’s why my mane is fluffy.”
“Eyup.”
“Howdy Pinkie Pie!”
“Oh, Applejack’s up, see you later Big Mac!” The pink party loving pony got closer to greet her friend with a hug. “Hey A-Jey! Oh, it sounds funny! Hey A-Jey. Hey A-Jey.”
Applejack put a hoof in her friend’s mouth to silence her. “Yeah Pinkie… it is funny. Uh… What can Ah do fer y’all today? Is everythin’ okay?”
“Of course it is silly! I just want to spend time with my very best friend!”
“Uh… Ah’m yer very best friend?”
“Uh-huh! You all six are! But you’re the very best friend I wanted to see today so… would you like to spend some time with me?”
“Oh no, this again, is… is she fallin’ fer me?” “Uh… sure, like a get-together right?”
“Oh, yeah, I just want to ask a couple of things. But they’re a bit private, so I think we should go outside.” Pinkie whispered.
“Alrighty, follow me.”
“Okie Dokie lokie, remember the plan. Ask for her love life, sound interested but not in love… Oh, and compliment her. There was something else too… did it involve a hula hoop and an alligator? No… Oh yeah! Ask her how a perfect date with Dash would be.”
A few steps out the door, Pinkie started her operation. She realized she didn’t have much time before her shift started. “Say Applejackie… do you like to take mares to bed, or do you prefer a good stallion to rock your world?”
The orange mare froze mid-step, slowly turning around and looking at her friend. “W-what!?”
“Yeah! I mean, I personally prefer a good stallion to pop their party cannon inside me, but mare seem nice too! I was just asking what you prefer.”
“Ah… Ah’m not sure if Ah wanted to hear that… A-and regardin’ yer question… Ah haven’t been with neither yet, so Ah can’t say which Ah ‘prefer’, but Ah uh… feel romantically attracted to mares.”
“Yay! Point for Dash. We need to move to the next part.” “Oh great! This makes it all easier then.”
“Makes what easier exactly? I-is Pinkie tryin’ to have sum’… proper comparison example? Will she try to get me to…” “Ah beg y’all pardon?”
“I said the next part will be easier, now that I know that fillies are your thing!”
“M-mares! Fillies sounds… please use the word ‘mare’ Pinkie. B-but… what else do y’all need to ask?”
“Well… you said you’ve never been with a pony. But I was wondering if you were in love, or if you were single right now.”
“W-why would y’all wanna know?”
“I’m interested!”
“P-Pinkie Pie… Ah’m sorry Sugarcube Y-y’all are very sweet n’ everythin’… but y’all ain’t my type… N’… Ah kinda have mah eyes set on another gal.”
“Oh silly, It’s not for me! It’s for Ra… Sorry. I can’t tell!”
“Ra? Ra…Ra…R-Rarity? This is weirder than what Ah thought…” “Rarity has her eyes set on me?”
“If I say ‘No’ the only Ra left in the group is Rainbow, and it would be a dead giveaway!” “I won’t say anything else. But… if this certain somepony. Let’s say, the pony you like… comes and ask you out on a date. How would your perfect date be?”
“Well… Ah’ll jes’ answer this lil’ thing. Ah prefer actions and words than pretty gifts, or tons of make-up. But Ah won’t answer anythin’ else. As Ah said, Ah already have somepony in mind…”
“Okie Dokie Lokie! Oh… I have to go Applejackie, my shift at Sugarcube Corner starts in a minute… would you like to come with me? We can wait for Dashie to come too! She’ll be around any minute now.”
“Uh… Yeah, Ah have no chores fer today… Ah guess it’s fine.”
“Oh, by the way, you look beautiful with the sunlight behind you!”
“T-thanks Pinkie Pie.” The farmer blushed.
“Okay, ask if she’s straight or a filly-fooler, done. Point for Dash. Compliment her? Done. Point for… me I guess, but it good for Dash too. Ask about her perfect date? Close enough. Point for… Rarity, which will turn it in a point for Rainbow! I’d say Mission Accomplished!”
They arrive to Sugarcube Corner and the emerald-eyed cow-mare looks up at the sun. “Dash will be here any minute. Let’s see if part two worked well enough, even if it was cut short.”
“What are you gonna have Applejack?”
“Oh, can Ah try what Rainbow had the other day?” The farmer inquired.
“Rainbow sprinkled donut with a Rainbow Soda?”
“Eyup.”
“Coming right away!” Pinkie said as she disappeared behind the kitchen door.”
Applejack sat down in one table, so lost in her thoughts to notice the pink maned pegasus sitting in the table behind her.
“Rarity? Nah, that can’t be right. Ah mean, Ah love the gal, but we get together as well as oil n’ water. But if not her… then who’s ‘Ra’? Ra… Ra… Raindrops? She’s a sweet n’ nice lookin’ weather mare n’ all… but we jes’ saw a couple of times when she helped me at the farm with some nice custom weather.” The earth pony thought hard, trying to find an answer. “Maybe Ah caught her attention? N’ she’s askin’ Pinkie fer help ‘cause she’s closer to me? Nah… makes no sense. Gotta be somepony else…”
The melodic sound of the doorbell signalizing the arrival of a new customer was not enough to distract Applejack, who couldn’t notice a Rainbow maned pony sneak behind her. Soon enough Applejack felt a pair of warm hooves wrap around her torso.
“Perfectly executed sneaky hug!”
“What in the hay!?”
“Hiya Apples! Had to take the chance, it was the first time I ever saw you lost in your little world thinking.”
“Oh Rainbow, y’all know Ah would never deny y’all a hug! Why wait ‘til Ah lower mah guard?”
“Ah… it’s the fun of being sneaky!”
The orange mare chuckled and shook her head slightly. “Anyways… ready fer our daily date?”
“What!?” “Huh?”
“Yeah, Ah mean, we meet here everyday n’ chat fer a while… so, it’s a daily date.”
“Ooh. Sure, then! I’ll ask Pinks if there are any apple muf-”
“Nopey dopey! They are all gone, they were a huge success AJ!” The pink mare said appearing next to Applejack.”
“Thanks Sugarcube.”
“Oh… well then, I’ll have the usual instead.”
“Wait Rainbow, Ah’m not so hungry, n’ Ah asked fer that, why don’t we share? Ah’ll jes have a bite n’ a sip, y’all can have the rest.”
Pinkie Pie smiled widely and clapped her hooves. “Oh great! I’ll bring a big glass with two straws for you.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just bring two cans?” Dash asked casually.
Pinkie shot her a deadpan glare but soon turned it into a smile as she said “Oh Dashie, but you need to remember. You gotta caaaare, you gotta shaaa-”
“Okay, okay we’ll share. Bring it.”
“I won’t!”
At unison, both mares replied “Huh!?”
“I gotta go right now, but Fluttershy here, will take your order.”
The pegasus got up from the table behind them and got next to Pinkie Pie. “Hi girls…”
“See you later girls!” Pinkie said as she galloped out the door.”
“Umm… ‘Shy, why are you working for the Sugarcube corner?”
“Well… I was free, and Pinkie needed the help. Oh, and well… the extra coin is never bad. Angel has an expensive taste you know…” She shook her head and assumed a very polite posture and asked “Now, how can I help you two? What will you have?”
“Fluttershy, y’all ain’t gotta act like a waitress, y’all are still our friend, even in work hours.”
“M-maybe, but I need to practice for the other customers… Please bear with me right now…”
“Okay. Well, we’ll have a big rainbow soda in a glass for two. And a rainbow sprinkled donut.”
“Alright then, I’ll be back with your order very soon.” She concluded as she gave a small bow, and walked away towards the kitchen.
Rainbow Dash shared a look with Applejack, and both shrugged.
“You what!? Pinkie! Why would you let her believe I was in love with her?” Rarity whined.
“Because if I told her you weren’t, then she’d obviously realised it was Rainbow! And we can’t allow that. I mean… who else would ‘Ra-’ be? Aaaaand, you told us to compliment her, now what can be more flattering than knowing a couple of good-looking ponies got their eyes set on you? I mean… I’d feel really nice and confident if I knew a pony like you were my secret admirer!” Pinkie said happily.
“Oh… Why thank you dear Pinkie,” Rarity said blushing and smiling “But we need to flatter Applejack, not me, darling. Please go back to the shop and tell Rainbow to come here as soon as possible, as Fluttershy distracts Applejack.”
“Step two?”
“Step two.”
“Pinkie? At the farm? That early? Well… that’s weird.”
“Weird? Weird is what she started askin’ after that! It was really awkward y’all know, too personal.” Applejack took a sip of the drink as Rainbow did the same. “Mah stomach feels all bubbly n’ fluttery… though that might be the soda… Ah remember it had strange effects in non-pegasus ponies…”
“Ooh, I wanna hear that! That sounds juicy. What did she ask?”
“Well, first, she came outta the blue and asked-”
“Dashie are you too busy?” Pinkie said, coming to a stop next to their table, breathing heavily.
“Pinks? What happened?”
“Oh, nothing, but Rarity needed to see you like… as soon as possible!”
Applejack worriedly asked “Is she okay? Can we help’er?”
“Oh, she’s okay, but she needs to talk to Rainbow. Alone.”
“Rarity? Rainbow? Alone!? Calm down Applejack Ah don’t think its that... yer jes’ overreactin’.” Taking a deep breath she said “Well, Ah’ll finish the story later Dash. Go help Rarity.”
“Okay… see you two around, I guess.” And so, the cyan pegasus flew away towards Carousel Boutique.
“Well… Ah got nuthin’ to do, n’ nopony to talk to, might as well go home. Pinkie, how much is it?”
“Oh, Applejack, let me get that for you, since Pinkie is here, she’ll be taking care of it again… w-would you mind if I tag along for a while? I’d like to talk to you…” Fluttershy said. “Oh, and its four bits.”
“Alright Sugarcube, take these to Pinkie, n’ then we’ll go” Applejack said, placing four bits in Fluttershy’s hoof.
“Hey Rarity! You here?” A knock was heard at the door.
“Ah… perfect, she arrived.” “Yes I am darling! Wait for me for a second, I will be right there.”
“Hurry up, it’s kinda chilly outside…”
Magically opening the door and putting on a bright wide smile Rarity greeted her athletic friend “Hello my dear, sorry to keep you waiting outside. Would you like me to prepare some hot cocoa?”
“Nah, it’s not that cold… So Rarity, Pinks told me you needed me or something so, I’m here. What’s up?”
“Well you see… There is something important I wanted to talk with you, please follow me. Are you sure you do not want anything else to drink either? Some tea, or coffee?”
“It’s okay.”
Rarity relaxed in one of her sofas which Rainbow recognized as her usual ‘Drama Sofas’. “Please, take a seat.” As soon as Rainbow did as told, the pristine white unicorn mare started. “I want to talk to you about Applejack. About you two.”
“What about us?”
“How is your relationship going, darling?”
“What do you mean by that? We’re very good uh… friends.”
“Hmm… Do you have any idea why you hesitated while answering that last question?”
“I did? I… I didn’t notice.”
“Is that so…” “So, the poor girl is worse than what we thought… she is not even aware of her feelings. It is obvious to the ones in the outside, but she has not realized it yet.” “Well… Do not you ever feel like doing something nice for her? Express your affection? Do you feel a certain need to amaze her with your tricks and flying routines, more than anypony else?”
“Sometimes, yeah.” Rainbow replied.
“Do you have any idea why that may be?”
“Uh… ‘cause she’s awesome, so I have to try harder to impress her?”
“Okay. Now… what would you say if I told you Applejack is being courted right now, by Fluttershy?”
Rainbow’s face varied from fright, confusion, laughter and anger. “You… you’re kidding right? Shy? With AJ?”
“Why would I?”
“C’mon! I know both. Shy, even if she was head over heels about Jacksie, she wouldn’t ‘court’ her. Not in her wildest dreams. Not a girl like AJ. She’s too awesome, tough and pretty. It’d intimidate her.”
“So Fluttershy is not ‘awesome enough’ for Applejack, is that correct?”
Rainbow Dash started shaking her hooves frantically. “Don’t get me wrong, She’s a wonderful mare, and she deserves any mare or stallion she could desire. But AJ… not the type, you understand?”
“So… who would be an awesome enough pony for Applejack, darling?”
“Hmm… I can’t think of anypony except well… maybe Luna… but she’s a princess and all that.”
Rarity’s eyebrows went up with that commentary. “You just compared your best friend with one of the Two Goddess Princesses that rule our country?”
“Yeah… you think the princesses are not cool enough?”
“Rainbow Dash…” Rarity expressed as she got up from her seat “I would like to give you a little task.”
“Uh… okay?”
“I want you, whenever you go back to your lovely cloudhouse, to think about Applejack. Just how much does she means to you? Are you happy about your current relationship of ‘best friends’? But now, would you care to listen to some tips to impress Applejack?”
“ Well… today was a strange day… Pinkie Pie askin’ me ‘bout mah love life n’ preferences, n’ Fluttershy askin’ me about mah relationship with Rainbow… Though Ah can proudly say Ah didn’t lie, Ah must say Ah used the ‘omitting the truth’ trick a bit too many times…” She looked up to the white moon spreading it’s shining light all over Equestria. “Dash will sleep soon, Ah better get prepared. This’ll be fast n’ blunt, Ah ain’t riskin’ to be awoken again. Tonight’s the night.”
She’s in Sweet Apple Acres. She could recognize those trees anywhere, they all had dents of where she had nap. This was home of her best friend in the whole world… Applejack. She always felt happy and at peace with her. It was all just… natural. And speak of the Devil, here she was, walking right towards her, with half lidded eyes and a nice sway in her walk .
“Howdy honey!”
“Honey? I think you’re confused, I’m ‘awesome’…”
“Oh shush, y’all hidden lovebird! Stop playin’ tough.” The orange mare approached her fast and gave her a tight hug. Which was returned by Dash. “C’mon… there’s no pony close watchin’… let’s have sum’ fun, mah lovely wife…” Applejack exclaimed, leaning forward and planting her lips on Rainbow’s and kissing her lovingly.
“AAAAAAAAAH!” Rainbow Dash woke up in her cloud bed sweating and rapidly inspected her surroundings. Home. She was in her cloud mansion floating on top of Ponyville and the sun was rising behind the mountains. “Did I… did I just dreamt of Applejack being my wife!? I need to get some help from somepony…
“Everythin’ is white!? Why is everythin’ white! She woke up!? Was it too much of a shock?” “Ah need to get out n’ found’er. If she reacted like that, then Ah need to try n’ see what she says. Last chance, Ah can’t afford bein’ discovered in here…”
“Wake up!” Knock, knock, knock. “C’mon! Wake up already, I need you! It’s important.” Once again, three knocks on her window. She was not used to this. This never happened. There’s never someone this excited to get a book. So probably it was something else.
“I’m coming…” the purple alicorn rolled and fell off the bed, catching herself with magic right before hitting the ground. As she looked up and out the window, she spotted a certainly unusual sight. “R-Rainbow Dash!?”
“Please let me in Twilight, I need help!”
With ease, she magically opened the door for her friend to come in. “Are you hurt? Is somepony chasing you? Did you broke somepony’s property again?”
“No! No, it’s nothing like that” the rainbow maned pegasus said, grabbing her friend’s shoulders and shaking her slightly. “I… I’m feeling strange. Something has been happening to me these last days. And I need your help.”
Something clicked inside Twilight’s brain, and she magically appeared a pair of glasses, as her mane got tied in a bun. “Rest on my bed and tell me all about it.”
“W-well… it all started a couple of days ago. I… I’ve always felt good and at ease near AJ, but lately… I’ve been noticing other things. She’s really good-looking and a nice pony. A-and yesterday, talking to Rarity, I realized that I was jealous of the thought somepony else would be hitting on her, ‘cause nopony is worthy, except maybe the Princesses, which is pretty crazy! A-and… just some minutes ago… I dreamt that she was my wife, and we were kissing in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres!”
Twilight had dropped the pen and was looking at her friend surprised. She was expecting any kind of psychological problems, but not this. Yeah, she and the girls suspected Dash was having the hots for AJ, but this was different. “Wait… what’s the problem exactly? You’re simply in love.”
Judging by the face on Rainbow Dash as soon as those words left her mouth, Twilight realized a bucket of cold water had just hit her friend.
“I-it’s that? A-are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course! And the cure is simple Rainbow Dash… Though I’m a bit ashamed to confess… I must tell you that me and the girls may have suspected that and may have done a little research…” The new princess coughed and looked away.
“You what!?”
“Well… Rarity and Pinkie suspected it at first, and we decided to help you out…”
“Help me? How?”
“Well… remember what Rarity told you yesterday about impressing Applejack? Why don’t you try using that, and ask her for a date afterwards!”
Rainbow Dash glared at her angrily, but soon her frown softened as a smile grew in her face. “You’re right! It’s a great idea. Thank you Twi! Remind me to thank the others too later! I gotta find AJ.”
“C’mon hooves, go faster! Ah need to find that featherbrained soon!” She’d find Rainbow Dash and ask her out, right there, right then. No more time to lose, no strange plans, plain old asking.
Soon enough, a rainbow streak appeared going straight to her.
“Applejack!”
“Rainbow Dash!”
The pegasus slowed down and walked calmly towards her. “Hey, how are you this fine morning? I gotta say you look real co-”
“Sweetheart, Ah’m sorry to say, but there’s something Ah need to ask, n’ Ah won’t waste any more time.”
The cyan face got slightly paler as she replied “O-okay…”
“Would y’all... Go out with me?” “Play say yes.”
“Did she…” “Did you just… ask me out!?”
“Eyup. Ah’ve got mah eyes on y’all for quite a while, and Ah ain’t wastin’ any more time. If y’all don’t want to, Ah’ll understand, and we’ll continue our lives, but Ah jes’ can’t go on lik-”
Her words were silenced by a pair of lips meeting hers. “Yes! Yes I’d go out with you…”
With another kiss, Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s first date started.
Hours later, they were both resting under a tree in Sweet Apple Acres, looking at Celestia’s setting sun. It was the perfect scenario, the classic romantic ending to a romantic day. But despite how much she looked forward to it, Applejack couldn’t help but to feel less and less happy every passing moment. A thought has been bugging her all day, and now it was getting stronger.
Rainbow Dash rested her head on Applejack’s chest and whispered “It might be a little soon to say it… but I love you Applejack…”
“Ah…” Applejack’s throat dried as tears began forming in her eyes. No, they were not tears of joy, as she imagined they would be when she’d hear those words. They were tears of regret and pure sorrow. “Ah love y’all dearly Dash…” “But do y’all love me back? Genuinely? Or… or is it all jes’ ‘cause of what Ah did…”
Two ponies watched the sunset in complete silence. One in bliss and one in distress.
This couldn’t go on any further. She could not live like this anymore. Her heart was burning in disapproval, and her very soul screamed to be released. She was the embodiment of Honesty, and as such, being dishonest was tearing her apart.
This was not good for Rainbow Dash either. On one hoof, she was living a lie, and on the other, it was not hard to notice Applejack was not alright.
“Applejack, am… am I boring? Am I not what you expected when you asked me out?” The pegasus said, looking into her lover’s eyes.
“Wha-? Don’t be silly Dashie, y’all are fun, n’ y’all are more than Ah could ever hope n’ desire…”
“ That’s true. I can see it in her eyes… then what is wrong?” Rainbow Dash blushed. “Is it… is it because of last night?”
“What about last night? It was amazin’.”
“Your eyes say that you say the truth… but you made me uhm… get there three times and you didn’t get to… not even once.”
Applejack blushed and nuzzled her mare. “Aww don’t care ‘bout that Sugarcube… it ain’t yer fault yer ‘the fastest gal in Equestria'…”
“Yeah, you’re rig-Hey!”
A chuckle escaped Applejack mouth and it helped calm Rainbow Dash. After a sweet tender kiss the cow-mare added “Don’t y’all worry ‘bout that missy. Y’all were better than mah wildest dreams. That ain’t it.”
“Then what is, Applejack? What is wrong about us? You… you were so eager, so… loving when you asked me out a week ago, but since I dropped the L word you started getting sadder and sadder… W-was it too early? You weren’t ready to say it?” She cried “Is it… is it ‘cause you realized you didn’t love me back!?”
Applejack seemed hurt, terribly hurt, while anger grew in Dash’s heart. “L-like she should! S-she shouldn’t be lying to her marefriend!”
Sighing and lowering her head, Applejack replied “Ah know Ah didn’t treat y’all like y’all deserve to… Ah’m so-”
“No, that’s not it. You’ve been treating me like a princess, you’ve done everything I wanted to, and even more, in just a week… B-but I can’t stand looking at you and see you sad. And you’ve been nothing but sad since I said that I love you!”
“Ah can’t… Ah can’t tell’er. But she’s right. Ah can’t go on like this, Ah’ll go crazy, n’ she’ll jes’ be hurt. There must be a way…” “Dash… Y’all are right, sumthin’ ain’t right. N’ Ah know what it is, but Ah jes’ can’t tell y’all… But y’all here me loud n’ clear now.” She got closer and nuzzled the neck of her marefriend lovingly. “Ah love y’all, more than anythin’ in this world. More than Ah love mahself… n’ Ah always will. B-but y’all... what y’all feel fer me ain’t natural, Sugarcube. N-n’ as hard as it may be fer me, Ah have to fix it Dash.”
“W-what are you talking about Apples? Y-you’re scaring me.”
Feeling the twin stream of tears fall off her cheeks and into Rainbow Dash’s mane, Applejack kissed her faux-lover one last time, and ran away towards Golden Oaks library.
“Ah jes’ hope Ah can fix it, RD. Ah wouldn’t be able to live with mahself knowin’ Ah changed who y’all were.…”
A deep sigh echoed inside the hollow tree. “I missed my library… I’d just like to have Spike with me right now, but he was requested by Luna back in the castle. I wonder what’s he doing right no-”
The loud slam of a door against the wall made Twilight jump and fall from her resting place in the bed. Before she could ask what was going on, a familiar voice was heard on the entrance.
“Twilight! Y’all gotta help me. Y’all can get me to the Crystal empire faster than the Friendship Express right?”
Desperation dripped from her tone, and it was worrying Twilight. “Applejack? Are you okay? Why do you need to go to the Crystal Empire that quickly?”
Between pants, the earth pony could manage to get a coherent answer. “Ah… Need to… talk to Cadence… now.”
“My sister-in-law? I don’t want to be rude by prying but… why?”
“Can’t tell y’all right now… C-can y’all take me there?”
“Well… yes I think I can. Should I wait until you pack something or …”
“No, we leave right now.”
Against her best judgment Twilight decided to trust her friend in this, and prepared to do a long-distance teleportation spell. “ It’s Applejack, Element of Honesty, if she’s not to trust… then who?”
“C’mon AJ, where are you!?” Rainbow Dash worriedly said while she flew over Ponyville, trying to spot the brown Stetson she was used to see above her lover. “An earth pony can’t just disappear!”
After a few seconds she spotted Twilight’s library. “I think I saw her ran that way… maybe Twi knows where she is…”
Upon arrival, she noticed three major things. The door was opened, there was a book laying on the floor, and the bed was untidy.
“I don’t like it. This is not like Twilight… totally not like her. Something’s going on. Where is she? Where’s AJ!?”
A large ball of light surrounded by a couple of smaller lightning bolts appeared in the middle of the Crystal Empire Royal Castle, making all the guards nearby to step back. A moment later, the ball started shrinking and morphing until it was shaped like two ponies. With a loud boom, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were resting on the floor.
“Ugh… Ah hate those spells, Ah always get dizzy.”
“Yeah, and you’re not drained by using magic!” Twilight groaned” “High level magic, mind you…”
“Ah’m real sorry, n’ real thankful too.”
“Twilight? Applejack?” A feminine voice was heard behind the ponies.
“Cadence!”
“Hello, you two. What brings you here in such a hurry? I must say the visit was unexpected, and the entrance was quite… flashy.”
“Ah’m to blame, Princess. Ah’m sorry if we interrupted sumthin’.”
“Oh, No! No, don’t worry. It’s nice to see you, but… I have to ask, where are the others?”
“It’s just us today, Cadence. Applejack had to talk to you about something urgent, so I brought her. While you girls talk… is Shinning around?”
“Third door to the left” replied Cadence with a smile.
Nodding respectfully, Twilight decided to leave them alone, and visit her brother.
“So… Applejack. It’s quite peculiar to hear you need to talk to me. And given the fact that you convinced Twilie to perform a long range teleportation spell, and you didn’t ask for a meeting prior to coming, I can deduce it’s…”
“An emergency.”
“Follow me, let’s go somewhere private.”
Soon, both ponies where sitting on armchairs at the royal chambers.
“So… What is it that you need from me?”
“Y’all are a princess, right?”
“Yes, so are Twilight, Celestia and Luna yet you came looking for me.”
“Yeah, but y’all are the princess of love. Y’all can control it, isn’t that right?”
“I can’t control love, Applejack. I… merely help it bloom. Love has it’s own, mysterious ways.”
“But can y’all know true love when y’all see it?”
“Yes, it’s how I notice anomalies or lacks, and give the proper push, or punishment for those interfering…”
Applejack had to gulp loudly at that last phrase “A-Ah’m sorry… what was that?”
“I believe I’ve erased all trace of love potions and poisons from Equestria, but ponies always find new ways to meddle with love, and they deserve punishment.”
“O-oh…” Applejack started frantically looking everywhere, trying to know what to do, but in the end, she knew exactly what to do. Taking a deep sigh, she confessed. “Then Ah might need punishment, Princess Cadence.”
“What do you mean, Applejack? Have you love poisoned someone?”
“Not exactly…”
“C’mon AJ… where are you… Did I blow it or something?” Rainbow Dash thought, as she flew over Ponyville for the fifth time.
After half an hour of talking, Applejack finished confessing her ‘sin’ to Cadence. The whole time, the Princess of Love, listened to her pensively.
“N-n’ Ah jes’ can’t take it anymore! Ah can’t look at her, feelin’ all that love she gives me, n’ fear that it’s not real! T-that it’s jes’ like a big ol’ prank Ah did to mahself…” Applejack blurted, crying desperately.
“Hmm…”
“S-so… Ah don’t care ‘bout the consequences. Punish me as y’all need to, but Ah beg y’all to fix Rainbow. She deserves to have a normal life, not controlled by mah dreamwalkin’… to turn her back to how she was before Ah meddled with her heart…”
“Do you truly love her? Or now that she’s with you, have you noticed she isn’t what you wanted?”
“No, she’s more than Ah ever wished for. Ah love’er more than anythin’. It’s why Ah’m doin’ this, she deserves more.” She took a deep breath, and calmed the tears falling from her eyes. “S-so… what’s mah punishment, Princess?”
“Follow me; we need to go get Twilight.”
“Okay…”
“… and yes, he’s doing quite well. I never thought he’d be so helpful with the library! But mostly, I’m happy that he’s alright, out of the fear of Sombra.”
“I’m glad to hear. Well, send my regards to the crystal ghost.”
“Bard, Twilie. He’s a crystal bard!”
“Right, sorry…” She said, blushing lightly. “I need to go check on the girls… they’ve been talking for a long while now, and it’s worryin-”
As she was saying that, the door was opened, revealing a very stern looking Cadence, and a bloodshot eyed Applejack behind her. “Twilight, are you free now? I need you.”
“Oh dear, Applejack, are you okay?”
“Twilight, I need you to get back to Ponyville, this instant. And to come back, bringing Rainbow Dash with you.”
“W-wha? O-okay, but what’s going on? Why can’t we tell her to take the Friendship Express?”
“It’s important, Twilight.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back!” Channeling her magic, Twilight Sparkle started concentrating on her library, back in Ponyville, and started glowing with a white light. In a blink, she was gone.
Rainbow Dash noticed something bright and flashing in the library, so she immediately nose dived and head directly towards it.
“Applejack!? Are you there!?” she asked, bursting through the door.
Instead of her orange marefriend, she could only find Twilight, with a terrible headache. “Ugh…”
“Twilight! You must help me, AJ’s been missing, and I need to find her! She’s been acting all strange this week, and today she said some things that kinda scared me and, and…”
“S-she’s in the Crystal Empire. And you need to come with me…”
“What?”
“Just… shut up.” Taking a deep breath, Twilight Sparkle re-did her previous motions, and soon, both where in the Royal Castle once again. “AGH!” She shouted upon arrival, the magical strain being too much to handle.
“Twilie!” Shinning Armor said, grabbing her and laying her in his bed. “Rest for a bit. You’re too magically drained”
“What the hay is going on!?”
“Rainbow Dash, come here.” Cadence commanded.
Dash looked towards her, and saw Applejack, sitting down, crying as she looked away from her. “Applejack!? W-what did you do to her, Cadence!”
“Calm down Dashie… it ain’t her. It’s mah fault.”
“Applejack… please, what’s going on?”
“Rainbow Dash, do you love Applejack?”
“What are you talking about? Yes, I do. I love her more than anything! And… even if I just started feeling it this hard since last week… I can say I’ve never been happier.”
Cadence simply nodded and then looked back, to where Applejack was sitting.
Without needing to hear a single word, Applejack sighed and looked at her marefriend. “Ah’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but it’s… it ain’t real love what y’all are feelin’. It’s all a big lie, n’ its mah fault.”
“W-what…”
“Some days ago… Luna caught me in a… not-so-pure dream, so she offered something as an apology. N’ Ah asked to let me get in yer dreams. Ah’ve entered yer dreams fer some days, to make y’all dream nice things ‘bout me. To have y’all think ‘bout me all day. N’… basically, Ah did all Ah could do, to make y’all fall in love with me…”
“Applejack!?” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she was hearing “Why…”
“BECAUSE AH LOVE Y’ALL!” Applejack shouted, stomping her hoof hard on the floor. “B-because Ah love y’all… N-n’ Ah was too afraid to act without knowin’ how y’all felt… n’ instead of gatherin’ courage n’ asking. Ah was a selfish monster n’… n’ Ah did that…” A long sighed escaped her mouth as she looked up and into Rainbow’s eyes “N’ Ah’m terribly sorry fer doin’ so. It’s why Ah came here to ask Cadence to… erase all the influence Ah put inside yer brain. Y’all… get back to normal.”
“Wait, wait! Will that mean I won’t love you anymore? I don’t want that to happen! I really love you, and I’m happy with you…”
“Don’t y’all get it Dash? It’s ‘cause of what Ah did that y’all don’t want it to happen. Without mah… meddlin’, not only y’all wouldn’t mind it, but y’all would probably ask Cadence to undo what Ah did yerself…”
“Are you sure you want this, Jackie? I… You won’t be able to be with me anymore, and trust me, I am happy with you, right now. I don’t even blame you for what you did. Because thanks to it, we’re together, and I’ve never been happier.”
“Ah’m sure. Ah can’t live with y’all not genuinely lovin’ me. Goes against mah Element.”
“Enough! Rainbow Dash, prepare yourself. I’ll take all of Applejack’s influence on your love life.” Cadence commanded, using the Royal Canterlot Voice for the first time in years.
Gulping hard, Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack lovingly one last time, who was still crying hard and looking away, before nodding. “I’m ready.”
Cadence nodded back and lowered her head, letting her horn glow for a minute. Rainbow Dash grimaced and closed her eyes hard, expecting a magic blow. Soon, the pink alicorn’s horn stopped glowing and she raised her head again, smiling tenderly. “I’m all done.”
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes wide and looked at her “Wait, what? That can’t be right, you did nothing! I feel the same.”
Cadence giggled lightly as Applejack stopped sobbing to look at her quizzically. “That’s right, Rainbow Dash, because nothing needed to be done.”
A collective “Huh!?” was heard by all the ponies present, including Twilight, who was still trying to process everything that just happened, with her still-aching head.
“Applejack, you can stop crying and feeling bad now.” She calmly announced, resting her hoof on the orange pony’s shoulder. “I will not need to punish you, because… even if you did meddle with her feelings… you merely pushed her true feelings to bloom earlier. She has been in love with you for years, but only now, and thanks to you, she has realized it.”
The speedster pegasus squinted and looked at Cadence quizzically “Wait, what? I was in love with AJ?”
“She was?”
“No, no wait. No way! I never felt for AJ until the girls kinda pushed me a bit and made me realize I loved her… Which only worked, ‘cause AJ was doing that dream thingy!”
“Not exactly. As I said… you always felt that way about her, it was just… dormant. Applejack merely pressed you, until you started feeling love for her. Even then you still didn’t realize it, it was all inside you. Now… when the girls did what they did, and pressed you even more, pushing you off the edge, then you finally got it.” Cadence gently beamed at Applejack and said “And you, Applejack, you’re forgiven on my side, for what you did ended up as a productive thing, and you did not change love’s true course. Now… only thing left is for you to ask her if she forgives you too.”
The orange mare wiped her tears with her hoof and looked at her lover in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she fearfully opened her mouth.
Before Applejack could even utter a word, she was tackled to the floor for a big kiss by her marefriend. After a full minute, Rainbow Dash broke the kiss and licked the remaining tears from Applejack’s eyes, before resting her head on the pinned mare’s chest. “Of course I forgive you, Applebutt! I love you!”
“Ah…” Applejack’s throat dried as tears began forming in her eyes. No, they were not tears of regret and sorrow as last time. This time, they were actually tears of pure joy and happiness. Finally, she was able to love and feel loved, without guilt and pain. With the biggest smile she could muster, she said, looking at Rainbow Dash with her still crying eyes “Ah love y’all too, mah dear Dashie”
“Good, ‘cause you’re the mare of my dreams…”
